Wedding & event vendors

Books and taxes for kids party entertainers.

Party booking fees, subcontracted performers sent to three parties on one Saturday, costumes and props that wear out, and background checks on every new hire. Gus sorts all of it, an accountant checks every transaction, and you get one number a month.

Book a call What we handle
  • From $197 a month
  • An accountant on every transaction
  • Cancel whenever
JuneExample month
$4,600
what you made

June came in at $4,600. Three parties booked the same Saturday needed two subcontracted performers, so I kept their pay apart from your own take.

  • June 14 birthday party bookingParty booking fees
  • Subcontracted performer payoutPerformer payouts
  • Costume and wig replacementCostume and props
  • Background check feeBackground checks
  • Travel mileage between partiesTravel
Money in$12,000
Money out$7,400
Set aside for taxes$1,000
An example month. Yours will have your numbers.

Why your books are different

A kids party entertainment business's books go wrong in the same handful of places.

A generalist sees booking fees and costume receipts. Your business is three parties booked on one Saturday with different performers, costumes and props that wear out and need replacing, and background checks on every new hire. When the books do not know that, the number they hand you is wrong.

  1. 1

    Subcontracted performers blend into your own pay

    Your business books three parties on one Saturday and sends different performers to each, and if all their pay comes out of one lump sum, you cannot tell which booking actually made money.

    What we doTies each performer's pay to the party they worked, so profit per booking stays honest.
  2. 2

    Costume and prop replacement looks like routine supplies

    Character costumes, wigs, and magic props wear out and need replacing periodically, and one larger replacement order can make an otherwise normal month look like it cost far more than usual.

    What we doFlags larger costume and prop purchases, so a replacement order does not distort a single month.
  3. 3

    Background check fees get missed as a real cost

    Working around children usually means background checks for every performer you bring on, and if that recurring cost is buried in general expenses, you lose track of what building your team actually costs.

    What we doKeeps background check fees in their own line.
  4. 4

    Travel between same-day parties gets buried

    Booking three parties across town on one Saturday means real drive time and mileage between each, and if that is not tracked against what each booking pays, you cannot tell whether a tight schedule is actually worth it.

    What we doKeeps travel costs visible against party income.
  5. 5

    The deposit is not spending money yet

    A family books a party months out and pays a deposit, and if it is treated like this month's earned income, the books overstate what has actually been worked.

    What we doFlags booked deposits for parties not yet worked, so you always know how much of the balance is spoken for.

Your categories

The categories Gus keeps for a kids party entertainment business.

Set up once for how you get paid and what you spend. You never pick a category. He does, and an accountant checks it.

Money in

  • Party booking feesThe base charge for a character or magician appearance.
  • Booking depositsHeld when a family books, often weeks or months out.
  • Add-on servicesBalloon twisting, face painting, and similar upgrades.
  • Extended time feesExtra charged when a party runs longer than planned.
  • Multiple-character upgradesPackages with more than one performer.

Money out

  • Subcontracted performer payoutsPay for performers sent to parties you cannot personally cover.
  • Costume and propsCostumes, wigs, and magic props bought or replaced.
  • Background check feesRequired for every new performer.
  • Travel and mileageGetting between same-day bookings.
  • MarketingWebsite, social ads, and party expo booths.
  • InsuranceLiability coverage for in-home and venue appearances.
  • Vehicle costsFuel and maintenance for getting to bookings.

What we watch for you

  • Booked deposits on hand

    How much of the balance belongs to parties not yet worked, so it is never mistaken for spare cash.

  • Performer payout share

    What goes to performers against what you keep, so your real take-home is clear.

  • Cost per party

    Travel and performer pay against what each booking actually billed.

  • The set-aside

    What you will owe, tracked every month, so April is a number you already knew.

Ask Gus

Things kids party entertainment owners ask Gus.

Text him like you would text anybody. He answers in plain English, and when a question is above his pay grade, an accountant looks and gets back to you.

Three parties were booked for the same Saturday with two different performers. How is that tracked?

Each performer's pay is tied to the specific party they worked, so you can see which one actually made money.

I replaced a few costumes and wigs this month. Why does it look expensive?

That is a bigger one-time buy. I flag it so a replacement order does not make the month look worse than it is.

Every new performer needs a background check. Is that a real business cost?

Yes, kept in its own line, so you can see what building your team actually costs.

The tax side

The tax side of a kids party entertainment business.

Most of what goes wrong here is one booking fee that needs to become several paychecks, and costumes that wear out over time.

What your return has to get right

Your accountant signs it, so it gets done right the first time.

  • Performer 1099sAnyone not on payroll you pay $2,000 or more in 2026, like a subcontracted performer, gets a 1099-NEC by January 31. Gus keeps that list running.
  • Costumes and propsCharacter costumes, wigs, and magic props bought for the business are usually ordinary deductible costs, though a big prop or costume investment may be handled differently, and the accountant sorts out which.
  • Employee or contractorA performer who wears your costumes, follows your script, and only works parties you assign may look more like an employee than a contractor. Gus flags it so the accountant can look at how you are set up.
  • The pass-through deductionMost owner-operators can deduct up to 20 percent of business profit off their taxable income. It comes out right when the books are right all year.

Deductions kids party entertainers miss

Your bookkeeper knows what to look for in your statements. You never have to.

  • Subcontracted performer fees
  • Costume and prop purchases
  • Background check fees
  • Travel and mileage
  • Liability insurance
  • Website and social ads
  • Party expo booth fees
  • Vehicle costs
  • Storage for costumes and props
  • Business cards and branding
  • Continuing training
  • Card processing fees

General information about 2026 federal rules, not advice for your business. Your accountant looks at your actual numbers before anything gets filed.

All year, not just April

A kids party entertainment business's year, kept every month.

Birthday parties book up year-round, with weekends staying the busiest stretch. Gus keeps the return on its own schedule. Every month in between, your bookkeeper closes the books and speaks up the moment something looks off.

  1. January

    Plan the year

    Last year's return gets started, the 1099 list for performers is ready, and a monthly set-aside is planned before booking season floods your calendar.

  2. April

    Filed and signed

    Your return is filed and signed right as spring booking season ramps up, so tax season never competes with your busiest weekends.

  3. July

    Halfway check

    Where you stand midyear, what you will owe, and whether this year's booking count is on pace.

  4. October

    Before the holiday push

    Holiday parties start filling the calendar. Gus looks at costumes and props worth replacing before December and what the winter months need to cover.

What you get

Starts at$197a month

What you pay depends on what your business needs, and it does not move after that, busy season or slow. No hourly bills, no surprise invoices, no setup fee.

Book a call
  • Monthly bookkeeping

    Every transaction sorted into categories set up for kids party entertainers. You never categorize a thing.

  • An accountant checks every transaction

    Real review, every month, before your books close. Not a spot check.

  • Your business tax return, filed

    Prepared, reviewed, and signed by that same accountant every year.

  • The monthly number

    What you made, what you spent, what to set aside for taxes.

  • Your own bookkeeper

    A real person assigned to your business, in the app whenever you need them. No hold music.

  • On your books all year

    Every month, not just in April. Your team speaks up whenever something is worth your attention.

  • Cancel any time

    No contract. No cancellation call. Your books are yours.

Straight answers

Questions kids party entertainment owners ask first.

Can Gus track pay for different performers I send to different parties on the same day?

Yes. Each performer's pay is tied to the specific party they worked, so you can see the real cost and profit of every booking.

I replaced costumes and wigs this month. Why does it look expensive?

It gets flagged as a larger one-time buy, so the replacement order does not distort that month's real picture.

Are background check fees a real business cost?

Yes. They are kept in their own line, so you can see what building your team actually costs.

Are my performers employees or contractors?

A performer who follows your script and only works parties you assign can look more like an employee than a contractor. Gus flags it so the accountant can look at how you are set up.

My books are behind from a busy season. Can Gus catch up?

Yes. Send what you have and Gus sorts it. Most owners know where they stand within a week.

Is a real accountant checking my books?

Yes. You get your own bookkeeper, Gus does the first pass on every transaction, and an accountant checks every one before your month closes. That same accountant prepares, signs, and files your business return. Goatkeeper is not a CPA firm, and we never pretend a person looked when they did not.

What does it cost, and can I cancel?

It starts at $197 a month, depending on what your business needs. No setup fee, no hourly bills, no contract. Cancel any time from the app, and your books go with you.

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Book a call

Pick a time. That's the whole signup.

Fifteen minutes with a real person on our team. They look at where your books are, tell you straight what it takes to get caught up, and get you set up on the spot if it fits.

  • $197 a month to start
  • An accountant on every transaction
  • Cancel whenever